Setting Up Safer Baby Sleep: Position, Sleep Space, and Bedding

The baby pictured is awake. Remove soft toys from the cot before sleep.

A baby’s sleep space can be simple. Start with a place designed for infant sleep, a correctly fitting mattress and enough room to put your baby down without moving a pile of objects. A nursery photograph is not a checklist for safe sleeping.

Choose a firm, flat and separate surface

Use a cot, crib, bassinet or other infant sleep product that meets the relevant safety requirements where you live. Follow its assembly instructions and size limits. Check for recalls, missing parts or damage, especially when an item has been used before.

The mattress should fit the product properly and remain firm, flat and level. Use a fitted sheet. Do not add a soft topper, folded duvet or extra padding to make it feel more comfortable. A waterproof mattress cover can help keep the surface clean without turning it into a cushioned bed.

Position the sleep space in your room for at least the first six months. Our room sharing guide covers access, daytime naps and practical planning.

Keep objects out of the sleep area

Remove pillows, toys, cot bumpers, loose blankets and positioners. Soft pods and nests are not substitutes for a suitable cot mattress. An adult bed, sofa, armchair or beanbag is also not an infant sleep space.

If warmth is needed, suitable clothing or a properly fitting baby sleep bag can avoid loose covers. Do not use weighted bedding or put extra blankets over a sleeping bag.

Some UK guidance allows a lightweight blanket secured below the shoulders, while US guidance recommends only a fitted sheet in the cot. A correctly fitted sleep bag with no additional bedding provides a straightforward option when the baby meets its sizing requirements.

Begin every sleep on the back

Place your baby on their back, including for short naps. Our back sleeping guide explains reflux worries and why the side is not a safer compromise.

Do not tilt the mattress or use a wedge to treat reflux. If a baby falls asleep in a swing or bouncer, move them to the firm, flat sleep space. A car seat is for travel, not a replacement bed after the journey.

Check the setup after other people use it

A cot can collect laundry, spare blankets and toys between sleeps. Before putting your baby down, check that the surface is clear again. Show relatives and childcare staff the actual arrangement rather than assuming everyone uses the same meaning of “safe cot.”

Keep cords and other hazards beyond reach. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when the baby becomes too large or mobile for a bassinet; adding restraints or padding does not extend its safe use.

Plan for a tired night

Never fall asleep holding your baby on a sofa or armchair. Keep the cot accessible so returning them after a feed is practical. Ask for help when exhaustion makes that difficult.

Products that claim to prevent sudden infant death do not replace these steps. A consumer breathing monitor cannot make an unsafe surface safe, and no product can guarantee that SIDS will not occur.